Anthony Davis shook off a twisted ankle as the Los Angeles Lakers came from behind to claim a 123-111 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Davis led the Lakers with 38 points and 17 rebounds, with LeBron James adding 18 points as all five starters reached double figures.
Minnesota led by 10 points at half-time, extending that to 13 before Davis rolled his ankle in the third quarter.
He was still lying on the floor when his side cut the deficit to six points.
After he returned from receiving treatment, the Lakers continued their push and took the lead before the end of the quarter and never relinquished an eight-point gap after James put them 93-83 up at the start of the fourth.
The win saw the Lakers leapfrog their opponent into seventh place in the tight race for the Western Conference play-offs.
Reigning NBA champions the Golden State Warriors remain in sixth, the last automatic spot for the play-offs, after a 130-115 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in which nine-time All-Star Stephen Curry top scored with 33 points.
Meanwhile the Phoenix Suns extended their winning streak to four games with a 100-93 win over the Denver Nuggets, Kevin Durant scoring 30 points and Devin Booker adding 27.
In the Eastern Conference, Jayson Tatum made 39 points as his Boston Celtics side continued to pile the pressure on the Milwaukee Bucks at the top with a 122-114 win over the Utah Jazz.
The Philadelphia 76ers tightened their grip on third place with a 117-110 victory over the Toronto Raptors, while the Cleveland Cavaliers – currently fourth – fell to a 130-116 defeat to the fifth-place New York Knicks.
Mikal Bridges scored 42 points as the Brooklyn Nets in sixth beat the Atlanta Hawks 124-107.